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ALFRED JOSEPH CASSON In 1919, Alfred Joseph Casson could not have imagined the astonishing career that lay before him, when he set out to find employment as an apprentice commercial artist in Toronto. Casson was hired by the printing firm, Rous and Mann, where he had the good fortune to be apprenticed to Franklin Carmichael who later became his mentor. Carmichael became a close friend and confidante who not only taught his assistant the basics of graphic design, but also gave him lessons on painting. Carmichael took Casson sketching, camping and most importantly, introduced him to several artist friends who formed the Group of Seven in 1920. It was a friendship and a professional association that set the future course of Casson’s life. His work reflects the ideals of the Group of Seven, yet he provided insight into a part of Canada he knew and loved. Casson quickly earned the respect of his new friends and they invited him to contribute paintings to the newly formed Group of Seven' shows. In 1926, he was formally accepted as a member, replacing Frank [Franz] Johnston. That year Casson also became an associate of the Royal Canadian Academy, and along with Franklin Carmichael and noted watercolorist Fred Bridgen, Casson founded the Canadian Society for painters in Watercolor, in 1926. Casson was a founding member of the Canadian Group of Painter's, in 1933. The demands of Casson’s employment as a graphic designer in Toronto meant that most of his painting trips had to be confined to places close to the city. In 1926, he bought his first car and began exploring and sketching small villages and hamlets in rural Southern Ontario. In 1927, Casson discovered the village of Elora, and he was so captivated by the scenery that he made a series of watercolors now entitled The Elora and Salem Portfolio. This marked an important turning point in his career, they were the first watercolors that he was truly satisfied with. These watercolors heralded the painting style and approach to subject matter for which he ultimately became famous. Casson developed a painting style distinctly his own. His design background is evident in the clear lines and well thought out compositions. Casson and the Group of Seven dared to venture beyond European Academic tradition and paint the Canadian landscape in brilliant colours.
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